Large animal temporarily escapes Rhode Island zoo enclosure

UPI News Service, 05/15/2018

A Rhode Island zoo opened late on Tuesday when a large animal escaped from its enclosure and ran loose on the zoo grounds.

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Diane Nahabedian, a spokeswoman for the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, confirmed the takin, a goat-antelope native to the Himalayas, charged repeatedly at the reinforced doors in its enclosure after zookeepers entered for a routine hoof procedure about 9 a.m. Tuesday.

The animal was successful in forcing the doors open and wandered zoo grounds.

"This one got aggressive and decided to leave," Nahabedian said during a news conference Tuesday morning.

The male takin, named Har-Lee, was tranquilized by the zoo's recapture team about 9:55 a.m. Tuesday and returned to its enclosure.

The zoo opened for the day about 15 minutes late around 10:15 a.m., officials said.

Nahabedian said a zookeeper and a veterinary intern suffered minor injuries during the escape.

She said the takin, which was not injured, will be taken off exhibit for a time.

The spokeswoman said zoo officials will be conducting a review of the incident.